Maureen O’Dea Director of School Counseling [email protected]TEL 603.432.6941 x 2110 William Prince (A-COO) House 1 School Counselor [email protected]TEL 603.432.6941 x 2018 Kate Sherwood (COP-GAR) House 1 School Counselor [email protected]TEL 603.432.6941 x 2017 William Mitchell (GAS-KN) House 2 School Counselor [email protected]TEL 603.432.6941 x 2224 Linda Ryan (KO-MOO) House 3 School Counselor [email protected]TEL 603.432.6941 x 2223 Valerie Nelson (MOP-SAN) House 4 School Counselor [email protected]TEL 603.432.6941 x 2129 Amy Chase (SAO-Z) House 4 School Counselor [email protected]TEL 603.432.6941 x 2523 Sara Bernard Special Education Counselor [email protected]603.432.6941 x 2149 Caite Linehan School Psychologist [email protected]603.432.6941 x 2111 Joanne Ouellette Special Education Counselor [email protected]603.432.6941 x 2824 Beth Sheridan, PhD School Psychologist [email protected]603.432.6941 x 2012 Katie Clark Community Resource Counselor [email protected]603.432.6941 x 2600 An Informational Newsletter for Londonderry High School Parents from the Guidance & Counseling Department November 2017 COUNSELOR ASSIGNMENTS MAIN NUMBER: 603.432.6941 GUIDANCE FAX: 603.425.1045 Director of School Counseling With the holiday season here we need to remember simple ways to alleviate the stress! Here are a few simple ps. A lile citrus essenal oil can help boost the feelings of well-being by upping the level of norepinephrine. The rhythm and repeon of walking decreases anxiety and improves sleep. The Chinese tradional medicine uses the hoku (the fleshy place between your index finger and thumb). By applying pressure for 30 seconds it can reduce stress and tension in your upper body. Remember we don’t need to accept every invitaon – it is ok to decline and take care of yourself! Set aside differences – try to accept people for who they are. Be understanding if others get upset when something goes wrong. Chances are they too are feeling the stress of the holiday season. Focus on what is most important! You don’t need to break the bank buying giſts. The last one was a hard one for me with my nieces and nephews. I love seeing the joy in their eyes when they open presents. I have now cut back and have 4 areas something they need, something they want, something to wear and can’t forget something to read. Remember to take me for you this holiday season.
Transcript
An Informational Newsletter for Londonderry High School Parents from the Guidance amp Counseling Department
Maureen OrsquoDea Director of School Counseling modealondonderryorg TEL 6034326941 x 2110 William Prince (A-COO) House 1 School Counselor bprincelondonderryorg TEL 6034326941 x 2018
Kate Sherwood (COP-GAR) House 1 School Counselor ksherwoodlondonderryorg TEL 6034326941 x 2017 William Mitchell (GAS-KN) House 2 School Counselor bmitchelllondonderryorg TEL 6034326941 x 2224
Linda Ryan (KO-MOO) House 3 School Counselor lryanlondonderryorg TEL 6034326941 x 2223 Valerie Nelson (MOP-SAN) House 4 School Counselor vnelsonlondonderryorg TEL 6034326941 x 2129
Amy Chase (SAO-Z) House 4 School Counselor achaselondonderryorg TEL 6034326941 x 2523
Sara Bernard Special Education Counselor sbernardlondonderryorg 6034326941 x 2149
Caite Linehan School Psychologist clinehanlondonderryorg 6034326941 x 2111
Joanne Ouellette Special Education Counselor Jouellettelondonderryorg 6034326941 x 2824
Beth Sheridan PhD School Psychologist bsheridanlondonderryorg 6034326941 x 2012
Katie Clark Community Resource Counselor kclarkclmnhorg 6034326941 x 2600
An Informational Newsletter for Londonderry High School Parents from the Guidance amp Counseling Department
November 2017
COUNSELOR ASSIGNMENTS MAIN NUMBER 6034326941 GUIDANCE FAX 6034251045
Director of School Counseling
With the holiday season here we need to remember simple ways to alleviate the stress Here are a few simple tips A little citrus essential oil can help boost the feelings of well-being by upping the level of norepinephrine The rhythm and repetition of walking decreases anxiety and improves sleep The Chinese traditional medicine uses the hoku (the fleshy place between your index finger and thumb) By
applying pressure for 30 seconds it can reduce stress and tension in your upper body Remember we donrsquot need to accept every invitation ndash it is ok to decline and take care of yourself Set aside differences ndash try to accept people for who they are Be understanding if others get upset when
something goes wrong Chances are they too are feeling the stress of the holiday season Focus on what is most important You donrsquot need to break the bank buying gifts
The last one was a hard one for me with my nieces and nephews I love seeing the joy in their eyes when they open presents I have now cut back and have 4 areas something they need something they want something to wear and canrsquot forget something to read Remember to take time for you this holiday season
Dates to be Aware of
Please be aware of SAT dates and NHIAA schedules to avoid
Date of test Registration deadline
March 10 2018 February 9 2018
May 5 2018 April 6 2018
June 2 2018 May 3 2018
You can register for ACT tests on wwwactorg and SAT tests on wwwcollegeboardorg
DECEMBER 4TH STUDENT COUNCIL CAN DRIVE ENDS DECEMBER 7TH PROGRESS REPORT GRADES CLOSE
DECEMBER 13TH FUTURES LAB EVENT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN 2 YEARS OR LESS DECEMBER 22ND WINTER PEP RALLY
DECEMBER 25-JANUARY 1ST HOLIDAY BREAK JANUARY 9TH SNHU ON SITE ADMISSIONS (sign ups are in Main Guidance)
SATACT Test Dates State Tournament Conflicts
ACTndash February 10 2018 GymnasticsmdashChampionships
SATmdashMarch 10 2018 Boys Ice HockeymdashFinals (All Divisions) Boys Basketballmdashquarterfinals (Division I) Boys BasketballmdashFinals (Division III) Girls BasketballmdashFinals (Division I) Girls Ice HockeymdashFinals
ACTmdashJune 9 2018 Unified VolleyballmdashChampionships Boys VolleyballmdashChampionships SoftballmdashFinals (All Divisions) BaseballmdashFinals (Divisions III and IV) Boys LacrossemdashFinals (All Divisions)
Date of test Registration deadline
February 10 2018 January 12 2018
April 4 2018 March 9 2018
June 9 2017 May 4 2018
July 24 2017 May 15 2018
Futures Lab
Career Breakfast for Aspiring Nurses On November 1st we had another successful career breakfast Twenty-five of our learners joined up with eleven nurses from a wide array of specialties midwifery psychiatry nurse management labordelivery hos-pice care urology ICUperioperative care nurse practitioner critical care infection control hospice triage cardiac care and transplant care There was lively discussion even before the event officially kicked off Our learners were visibly engaged and enthusiastic and feedback indicated the experience was very valua-ble We are always grateful to our visiting professionals for their time expertise and most importantly for sharing their individual career stories which inspire and motivate young women and men CollegeandCareerReady Community College Vocational Programs Showcase On Wednesday December 13 at Londonderry High School the Futures Lab is hosting a Vocational Careers Showcase Nine different community colleges and trade schools will be coming with representatives from various vocational programs to show our learners some great career options that require a certificate or an Associatersquos degree These particular programs allow successful participants in a short period of time to jump right into the workforce where most positions pay well and offer benefits This event will open many eyes to a job market that is in great need of large numbers of employees espe-cially here in New Hampshire It is open to all LHS students Careers to be Exhibited at the December 13th Showcase Advanced Manufacturing Paralegal Culinary Careers Precision Manufacturing Dental AssistantHygienist Radiology Fine Arts Robotics Fire Science Sonography Gaming Web Design Graphic Design Welding Landscaping and many more Massage Motorcycle Repair Raffle for Freshmen and Sophomores Who Complete CCR Goals By Thanksgiving We are having another one of our raffles for $10 Amazon Gift Cards The Futures Lab will randomly select three freshmen and three sophomores who have completed all of their required College and Career Ready Goals by Thanksgiving Day and award each of them a gift card Prizes will be awarded when we return to school the week of November 27th
Email addresses Make sure the email address of your student is correct in Naviance This is the easiest way for us to com-municate with them about upcoming events scholarships and other great programs
JUNIOR YEAR IS IMPORTANT
Junior year is critical mdash here are 5 things to do to-day to get into college next year Jessica Yeager For all those parents of juniors in high school this will be one of the busiest and most important school years for your child This is the year of lots of standardized tests including the PSAT and a chance at a National Merit Scholarship Itrsquos also a year for college visits and the final full year of grades that will be included in your childrsquos college applica-tion Of course you want to help your student put their best foot forward and make this their best year ever Following these five tips will help you give your child a leg up this year and senior year It will also put them in the best possible position when they go to apply to colleges next year
Prepare for the PSAT While studying for those tests is incredibly important the number one test you should be focusing your student on this fall is the PSAT the National Merit Scholarship Quali-fying Test The primary test date is a little over a month away so your student doesnrsquot have a ton of time to study Make sure they go through practice exams If they need it look for a tutor or class for them to feel really prepared The absolute best thing you can do for them is to make sure they understand a good PSAT score could potentially mean a full ride to their dream college so they should take the test seriously
Create a preliminary college list Junior year is a great time to talk with your child about what colleges they might want to apply to next year Even though the list might change having options now can give your student some schools to visit to start making connec-tions
The most important thing to keep in mind when walking your student through creating a college list is to make sure itrsquos balanced It should have a good mix of safety match and reach schools for both acceptance and cost For exam-ple a good rule of thumb for a safety school is that your childrsquos SAT or ACT score is above the 75th percentile for the school and your family can easily afford it
Grades this year have a big impact Junior year is usually super busy with harder classes but itrsquos really important that your childrsquos grades donrsquot slip This will be the last full year of grades on their transcript They need to be good From all my years of tutoring I know this can be a challenge for parents but make sure if your child needs help to keep their grades up theyrsquore get-ting it That can be from you a teacher a tutor It doesnrsquot matter as long as theyre getting the help they need and keeping those grades up
Connect with teachers for recom-mendations Often teachers from junior year end up being the best teacher recommendations for your childrsquos college applica-tion Thatrsquos one of the other reasons doing well junior year is so important Talk with your student about which teach-ers and classes they like best Encourage them to ask ques-tions in class and go to office hours Then at the end of the year they will be in a great position to ask the teacher for a recommendation for their college applications
Look for outside the classroom expe-riences Junior year is a great time for your child to really explore their interests outside of the classroom Help them look into research and community service opportunities even jobs and internships A lot of parents and students worry that junior year is too late to start a club or extracurricular activity but I can tell you from experience that it isnrsquot I started my biggest resume differentiators my junior year
Heres how four current college students made their applica-tions and personalities stand out By Caroline Duda The college application process can be daunting for even the most prepared of students and it has only grown more compet-itive For instance in 2016 Harvard University received more than 39000 applications but accepted just a little more than 2000 Students with moderate engagement in extracurricular activi-ties and an average GPA might worry that their application will get lost in the shuffle ndash and might also wonder how they can stand out To help answer this question consider how these four current college students handled their college appli-cations to stand out as individuals bull Determine your approach Most students hope that their applications will stand out so that they can secure an ac-ceptance letter to college However it is important to deter-mine how you will approach your applications based on your underlying motivations and goals For example Ginger Stanciel a sophomore at Kent State Uni-versity in Ohio was passionate about fashion but felt it was crucial ldquoto come across as a well-rounded art studentrdquo She hoped to highlight her interests and strengths both in art and fashion and outside of it Why ldquoThe schools I was applying to specifically wanted well-rounded students to encourage a di-verse art environmentrdquo she said via email Motivations for wanting to stand out in college applications can vary by student Katrina Wheelan a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts tried her best to avoid doing any-thing specifically for her applications ldquoI did what I wanted to do not what I thought I should do for getting into collegerdquo she said via email This mentality helped her focus on selecting experiences that were true to her inter-ests and her personal and career development As you begin to build your college application consider your goals and how they align with the selection criteria at your top schools Are you hoping to demonstrate your growth from a low-Cs student to a member of the honor roll or are you hop-ing to cast light on your passions Once you outline goals and motivations review your high school highs and decide which you will highlight bull Highlight your activities No one activity is guaranteed to secure you a college acceptance letter Instead the key lies in linking your activities to your goals For example Bryce Dellamano a sophomore at Southern Illi-nois Universitymdash Edwardsville let his passions speak loud and clear ldquoI volunteered after school on Tuesdays and Thurs-days at a place called Homework Help and Hoops Tutoring Basically I helped tutor kids after classes on various subjects and then played games with them to reward their hard work
he said via email Dellamano thought this helped make his ap-plication stand out because it combined his enjoyment of sports with community service Sophomore at Indiana UniversitymdashBloomington Alexis Miller believes that simple participation in extracurriculars is not enough though ldquoThe more I poured over the many (essay) prompts the more I realized that although the people who would be reading my essays had surely seen thousands of ap-plications with similar activities like National Honors Society or club volleyball it was the unique experiences and lessons I learned that would distinguish my applicationrdquo she said via email Miller grounded her application with ldquoa foundation in the con-nections I made with the people I was aidingrdquo She believes these relationships that she built during high school ndash both with organizations and people ndash made her application more personal and memorable Stanciel likewise devoted time and energy to extracurriculars which included two internships and starting a ski club at her high school and believes it is critical to learn how to properly discuss your activities on your application She realized this while reading the first prompts and writing her initial essays which required a certain degree of storytell-ing One of my applications had a prompt asking about a strong childhood memory I chose to include a memory that would touch on my strong sense of family my love for travel and my appreciation for hard work Within that response she called attention to travel experiences with her family Stanciel advises students to be creative and eloquent and try to ldquointerpret these experiences and use them to show growth and why you are a good candidaterdquo She encourages telling a story with your essays not just because it makes it more interesting and stands out for admissions officers to read but because your life is a story bull Avoid overcompensating All four of these college stu-dents agreed that it was possible for students to make their col-lege applications stand out too much Miller for instance cau-tioned against writing essays that arent genuine like an in-flated and overly decorated essayrdquo Stanciel added ldquoRemember that your application is supposed to be a reflection of who you are not just a puff piecerdquo While an unusual experience can certainly distinguish your applica-tion one with no connection to your academic or extracurricu-lar interests and goals may draw the wrong kind of attention And be careful not to overload your application or resume Dellamano cautioned ldquoIt might get cluttered andor bore the person reading it Keep it concise and to the pointrdquo Finally Wheelan offers a philosophy that she followed to build an authentic and engaging college application ldquoI feel like its clicheacute to say lsquobe yourselfrsquo but the key is to live your life as if college didnt existrdquo she said As you begin the process of applying to college prioritize your passions ndash your personality and applications will then stand out
How to stand out
How to stand out COLLEGE VISITS ARE IMPORTANT
New Study Highlights How College Visits Boost Admissions Chances At Selective Colleges
Troy Onink Contributor According to an article on InsideHigherEdcom a new study shows that high school students who show demonstrated interest in a college by making an official visit to campus have an advantage in the admis-sions process over students who dont make a campus visit However depending on how close to home a college is the expense of visiting can climb into the thousands of dollars when you start adding air fare car rentals hotel rooms and meals for parents the student and often siblings too 529 college savings plans are a tax-advantaged way to save for qualified college expenses like tuition and fees and room and board but not the expenses of a college visit This is why it is a good idea for parents to save some money for visits outside of 529 plans and coordinate with other families to lower travel costs by carpooling staying with relatives or even using one of the many organized chaperoned bus tours of multi-ple college campuses Some colleges will even offer rooms to students who plan a campus visit Saving air-line miles and hotel points are a great way to pay for expenses associated with college visits The Inside Higher Ed article states Demonstrated interest is one of the admissions criteria used by many competitive colleges -- even though it may not have anything to do with an applicants intelligence or character The term refers to ways that an applicant shows he or she is serious about enrolling at a given college An applicant who calls with questions about a particular program is more valued than one who doesnt communicate beyond applying An applicant who visits shows more demonstrated interest than one who doesnt and so forth Many colleges factor in demonstrated interest to admissions and aid deci-sions wanting to admit applicants who will enroll The idea is to have better planning and to improve the yield the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll The article quoting the study goes on to say The impact is greatest on those with high SAT scores -- sug-gesting that many colleges (below the HarvardStanford level of competitiveness) are wary of admitting some applicants with high SAT scores and little demonstrated interest for fear of being used as a safety school Those with both high SAT scores (on average wealthier applicants than others) and a campus visit are up to 40 percentage points more likely to be admitted than comparable students without those two signals as the paper calls those qualities For those students who have money saved in UTMA accounts from gifts and working over the years lead-ing up to college spending that money on college visits may be particularly wise because assets in a stu-dents name get assessed at 20-25 of the account value in the need-based college aid formulas Parents assets get assessed at 5-564 so its often better to spend UTMA money before completing aid forms in the childs senior year of high school If you are looking to gain an admissions advantage over other highly qualified applicants a college visit to show demonstrated interest is a wise use of your money regardless of whose account it comes out of
NAME AMOUNT DEADLINE CONTACT 2017 Future of Assisted Living Scholarship $2000 December 31 2017 SeniorAdvisorcom Access to Education Scholarship $3000 March 30 2018 wwwaccesssportsmedcom AXA Achievement Scholarships $25000 December 15 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Boston University Trustee Scholarship December 1 2017 wwwbuedu EastonNFAA Scholarship Program $5000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Francis Wayland Parker Scholar $2000 April 15 2018 wwwnhasporg Harris Poll Scholarship $1000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg HSC Home Warranty Scholarship $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Light the Way Scholarship $25 000 December 15 2017 wwwassumptionedu Mensa Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Essay Contest January 15 2018 wwwmensafoundationorg Merrimack Valley Credit Union College Scholarship $1500 February 28 2018 wwwmvcucomscholarship National Space Club Scholarships $10000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg NH Red Sox Service Scholarship $1000 January 12 2018 nescholarshipredsoxcom NH Soccer Coaches Assoc - Amy Dutton Scholarship May 1 2018 scottdunlop28yahoocom NH Water Pollution Control Assoc Student Scholarship $1000 March 30 2018 wwwNHWPCAorg Ron Brown Scholar Program $10000 January 9 2018 wwwronbrownorg Stephen J Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship $5000 December 5 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg The ACE Award - Accepting the Challenge of Excellence $1000 March 15 2018 eleuteritzpentucketbankcom The American Legion HS Oratorical Scholarship $100-18000 wwwlegionorgoratoricaltopics The Cameron Impact Scholarship wwwbryancameroneducationfoundationorg The Wesleyan Univ Hamilton Prize for Creativity $200000 January 1 2018 wwwwesleyanedu Thiel Fellowship active $100000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Union Plus Scholarship $4000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg VIP Scholarships active $5000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg WACE National Co-Op Scholarship $6-30000 February 15 2018 wwwwaceincorg
NEED FOR COLLEGE
College is expensive and these scholarships can help These are the scholarships outside of the school that are available Main Guidance has all of the information needed for each of these scholarships Have your student visit Main Guidance to get more information You can also view these from the studentrsquos Navi-
ance account Be sure to check back frequently as these are updated weekly
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
ACTmdashJune 9 2018 Unified VolleyballmdashChampionships Boys VolleyballmdashChampionships SoftballmdashFinals (All Divisions) BaseballmdashFinals (Divisions III and IV) Boys LacrossemdashFinals (All Divisions)
Date of test Registration deadline
February 10 2018 January 12 2018
April 4 2018 March 9 2018
June 9 2017 May 4 2018
July 24 2017 May 15 2018
Futures Lab
Career Breakfast for Aspiring Nurses On November 1st we had another successful career breakfast Twenty-five of our learners joined up with eleven nurses from a wide array of specialties midwifery psychiatry nurse management labordelivery hos-pice care urology ICUperioperative care nurse practitioner critical care infection control hospice triage cardiac care and transplant care There was lively discussion even before the event officially kicked off Our learners were visibly engaged and enthusiastic and feedback indicated the experience was very valua-ble We are always grateful to our visiting professionals for their time expertise and most importantly for sharing their individual career stories which inspire and motivate young women and men CollegeandCareerReady Community College Vocational Programs Showcase On Wednesday December 13 at Londonderry High School the Futures Lab is hosting a Vocational Careers Showcase Nine different community colleges and trade schools will be coming with representatives from various vocational programs to show our learners some great career options that require a certificate or an Associatersquos degree These particular programs allow successful participants in a short period of time to jump right into the workforce where most positions pay well and offer benefits This event will open many eyes to a job market that is in great need of large numbers of employees espe-cially here in New Hampshire It is open to all LHS students Careers to be Exhibited at the December 13th Showcase Advanced Manufacturing Paralegal Culinary Careers Precision Manufacturing Dental AssistantHygienist Radiology Fine Arts Robotics Fire Science Sonography Gaming Web Design Graphic Design Welding Landscaping and many more Massage Motorcycle Repair Raffle for Freshmen and Sophomores Who Complete CCR Goals By Thanksgiving We are having another one of our raffles for $10 Amazon Gift Cards The Futures Lab will randomly select three freshmen and three sophomores who have completed all of their required College and Career Ready Goals by Thanksgiving Day and award each of them a gift card Prizes will be awarded when we return to school the week of November 27th
Email addresses Make sure the email address of your student is correct in Naviance This is the easiest way for us to com-municate with them about upcoming events scholarships and other great programs
JUNIOR YEAR IS IMPORTANT
Junior year is critical mdash here are 5 things to do to-day to get into college next year Jessica Yeager For all those parents of juniors in high school this will be one of the busiest and most important school years for your child This is the year of lots of standardized tests including the PSAT and a chance at a National Merit Scholarship Itrsquos also a year for college visits and the final full year of grades that will be included in your childrsquos college applica-tion Of course you want to help your student put their best foot forward and make this their best year ever Following these five tips will help you give your child a leg up this year and senior year It will also put them in the best possible position when they go to apply to colleges next year
Prepare for the PSAT While studying for those tests is incredibly important the number one test you should be focusing your student on this fall is the PSAT the National Merit Scholarship Quali-fying Test The primary test date is a little over a month away so your student doesnrsquot have a ton of time to study Make sure they go through practice exams If they need it look for a tutor or class for them to feel really prepared The absolute best thing you can do for them is to make sure they understand a good PSAT score could potentially mean a full ride to their dream college so they should take the test seriously
Create a preliminary college list Junior year is a great time to talk with your child about what colleges they might want to apply to next year Even though the list might change having options now can give your student some schools to visit to start making connec-tions
The most important thing to keep in mind when walking your student through creating a college list is to make sure itrsquos balanced It should have a good mix of safety match and reach schools for both acceptance and cost For exam-ple a good rule of thumb for a safety school is that your childrsquos SAT or ACT score is above the 75th percentile for the school and your family can easily afford it
Grades this year have a big impact Junior year is usually super busy with harder classes but itrsquos really important that your childrsquos grades donrsquot slip This will be the last full year of grades on their transcript They need to be good From all my years of tutoring I know this can be a challenge for parents but make sure if your child needs help to keep their grades up theyrsquore get-ting it That can be from you a teacher a tutor It doesnrsquot matter as long as theyre getting the help they need and keeping those grades up
Connect with teachers for recom-mendations Often teachers from junior year end up being the best teacher recommendations for your childrsquos college applica-tion Thatrsquos one of the other reasons doing well junior year is so important Talk with your student about which teach-ers and classes they like best Encourage them to ask ques-tions in class and go to office hours Then at the end of the year they will be in a great position to ask the teacher for a recommendation for their college applications
Look for outside the classroom expe-riences Junior year is a great time for your child to really explore their interests outside of the classroom Help them look into research and community service opportunities even jobs and internships A lot of parents and students worry that junior year is too late to start a club or extracurricular activity but I can tell you from experience that it isnrsquot I started my biggest resume differentiators my junior year
Heres how four current college students made their applica-tions and personalities stand out By Caroline Duda The college application process can be daunting for even the most prepared of students and it has only grown more compet-itive For instance in 2016 Harvard University received more than 39000 applications but accepted just a little more than 2000 Students with moderate engagement in extracurricular activi-ties and an average GPA might worry that their application will get lost in the shuffle ndash and might also wonder how they can stand out To help answer this question consider how these four current college students handled their college appli-cations to stand out as individuals bull Determine your approach Most students hope that their applications will stand out so that they can secure an ac-ceptance letter to college However it is important to deter-mine how you will approach your applications based on your underlying motivations and goals For example Ginger Stanciel a sophomore at Kent State Uni-versity in Ohio was passionate about fashion but felt it was crucial ldquoto come across as a well-rounded art studentrdquo She hoped to highlight her interests and strengths both in art and fashion and outside of it Why ldquoThe schools I was applying to specifically wanted well-rounded students to encourage a di-verse art environmentrdquo she said via email Motivations for wanting to stand out in college applications can vary by student Katrina Wheelan a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts tried her best to avoid doing any-thing specifically for her applications ldquoI did what I wanted to do not what I thought I should do for getting into collegerdquo she said via email This mentality helped her focus on selecting experiences that were true to her inter-ests and her personal and career development As you begin to build your college application consider your goals and how they align with the selection criteria at your top schools Are you hoping to demonstrate your growth from a low-Cs student to a member of the honor roll or are you hop-ing to cast light on your passions Once you outline goals and motivations review your high school highs and decide which you will highlight bull Highlight your activities No one activity is guaranteed to secure you a college acceptance letter Instead the key lies in linking your activities to your goals For example Bryce Dellamano a sophomore at Southern Illi-nois Universitymdash Edwardsville let his passions speak loud and clear ldquoI volunteered after school on Tuesdays and Thurs-days at a place called Homework Help and Hoops Tutoring Basically I helped tutor kids after classes on various subjects and then played games with them to reward their hard work
he said via email Dellamano thought this helped make his ap-plication stand out because it combined his enjoyment of sports with community service Sophomore at Indiana UniversitymdashBloomington Alexis Miller believes that simple participation in extracurriculars is not enough though ldquoThe more I poured over the many (essay) prompts the more I realized that although the people who would be reading my essays had surely seen thousands of ap-plications with similar activities like National Honors Society or club volleyball it was the unique experiences and lessons I learned that would distinguish my applicationrdquo she said via email Miller grounded her application with ldquoa foundation in the con-nections I made with the people I was aidingrdquo She believes these relationships that she built during high school ndash both with organizations and people ndash made her application more personal and memorable Stanciel likewise devoted time and energy to extracurriculars which included two internships and starting a ski club at her high school and believes it is critical to learn how to properly discuss your activities on your application She realized this while reading the first prompts and writing her initial essays which required a certain degree of storytell-ing One of my applications had a prompt asking about a strong childhood memory I chose to include a memory that would touch on my strong sense of family my love for travel and my appreciation for hard work Within that response she called attention to travel experiences with her family Stanciel advises students to be creative and eloquent and try to ldquointerpret these experiences and use them to show growth and why you are a good candidaterdquo She encourages telling a story with your essays not just because it makes it more interesting and stands out for admissions officers to read but because your life is a story bull Avoid overcompensating All four of these college stu-dents agreed that it was possible for students to make their col-lege applications stand out too much Miller for instance cau-tioned against writing essays that arent genuine like an in-flated and overly decorated essayrdquo Stanciel added ldquoRemember that your application is supposed to be a reflection of who you are not just a puff piecerdquo While an unusual experience can certainly distinguish your applica-tion one with no connection to your academic or extracurricu-lar interests and goals may draw the wrong kind of attention And be careful not to overload your application or resume Dellamano cautioned ldquoIt might get cluttered andor bore the person reading it Keep it concise and to the pointrdquo Finally Wheelan offers a philosophy that she followed to build an authentic and engaging college application ldquoI feel like its clicheacute to say lsquobe yourselfrsquo but the key is to live your life as if college didnt existrdquo she said As you begin the process of applying to college prioritize your passions ndash your personality and applications will then stand out
How to stand out
How to stand out COLLEGE VISITS ARE IMPORTANT
New Study Highlights How College Visits Boost Admissions Chances At Selective Colleges
Troy Onink Contributor According to an article on InsideHigherEdcom a new study shows that high school students who show demonstrated interest in a college by making an official visit to campus have an advantage in the admis-sions process over students who dont make a campus visit However depending on how close to home a college is the expense of visiting can climb into the thousands of dollars when you start adding air fare car rentals hotel rooms and meals for parents the student and often siblings too 529 college savings plans are a tax-advantaged way to save for qualified college expenses like tuition and fees and room and board but not the expenses of a college visit This is why it is a good idea for parents to save some money for visits outside of 529 plans and coordinate with other families to lower travel costs by carpooling staying with relatives or even using one of the many organized chaperoned bus tours of multi-ple college campuses Some colleges will even offer rooms to students who plan a campus visit Saving air-line miles and hotel points are a great way to pay for expenses associated with college visits The Inside Higher Ed article states Demonstrated interest is one of the admissions criteria used by many competitive colleges -- even though it may not have anything to do with an applicants intelligence or character The term refers to ways that an applicant shows he or she is serious about enrolling at a given college An applicant who calls with questions about a particular program is more valued than one who doesnt communicate beyond applying An applicant who visits shows more demonstrated interest than one who doesnt and so forth Many colleges factor in demonstrated interest to admissions and aid deci-sions wanting to admit applicants who will enroll The idea is to have better planning and to improve the yield the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll The article quoting the study goes on to say The impact is greatest on those with high SAT scores -- sug-gesting that many colleges (below the HarvardStanford level of competitiveness) are wary of admitting some applicants with high SAT scores and little demonstrated interest for fear of being used as a safety school Those with both high SAT scores (on average wealthier applicants than others) and a campus visit are up to 40 percentage points more likely to be admitted than comparable students without those two signals as the paper calls those qualities For those students who have money saved in UTMA accounts from gifts and working over the years lead-ing up to college spending that money on college visits may be particularly wise because assets in a stu-dents name get assessed at 20-25 of the account value in the need-based college aid formulas Parents assets get assessed at 5-564 so its often better to spend UTMA money before completing aid forms in the childs senior year of high school If you are looking to gain an admissions advantage over other highly qualified applicants a college visit to show demonstrated interest is a wise use of your money regardless of whose account it comes out of
NAME AMOUNT DEADLINE CONTACT 2017 Future of Assisted Living Scholarship $2000 December 31 2017 SeniorAdvisorcom Access to Education Scholarship $3000 March 30 2018 wwwaccesssportsmedcom AXA Achievement Scholarships $25000 December 15 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Boston University Trustee Scholarship December 1 2017 wwwbuedu EastonNFAA Scholarship Program $5000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Francis Wayland Parker Scholar $2000 April 15 2018 wwwnhasporg Harris Poll Scholarship $1000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg HSC Home Warranty Scholarship $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Light the Way Scholarship $25 000 December 15 2017 wwwassumptionedu Mensa Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Essay Contest January 15 2018 wwwmensafoundationorg Merrimack Valley Credit Union College Scholarship $1500 February 28 2018 wwwmvcucomscholarship National Space Club Scholarships $10000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg NH Red Sox Service Scholarship $1000 January 12 2018 nescholarshipredsoxcom NH Soccer Coaches Assoc - Amy Dutton Scholarship May 1 2018 scottdunlop28yahoocom NH Water Pollution Control Assoc Student Scholarship $1000 March 30 2018 wwwNHWPCAorg Ron Brown Scholar Program $10000 January 9 2018 wwwronbrownorg Stephen J Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship $5000 December 5 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg The ACE Award - Accepting the Challenge of Excellence $1000 March 15 2018 eleuteritzpentucketbankcom The American Legion HS Oratorical Scholarship $100-18000 wwwlegionorgoratoricaltopics The Cameron Impact Scholarship wwwbryancameroneducationfoundationorg The Wesleyan Univ Hamilton Prize for Creativity $200000 January 1 2018 wwwwesleyanedu Thiel Fellowship active $100000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Union Plus Scholarship $4000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg VIP Scholarships active $5000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg WACE National Co-Op Scholarship $6-30000 February 15 2018 wwwwaceincorg
NEED FOR COLLEGE
College is expensive and these scholarships can help These are the scholarships outside of the school that are available Main Guidance has all of the information needed for each of these scholarships Have your student visit Main Guidance to get more information You can also view these from the studentrsquos Navi-
ance account Be sure to check back frequently as these are updated weekly
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
Futures Lab
Career Breakfast for Aspiring Nurses On November 1st we had another successful career breakfast Twenty-five of our learners joined up with eleven nurses from a wide array of specialties midwifery psychiatry nurse management labordelivery hos-pice care urology ICUperioperative care nurse practitioner critical care infection control hospice triage cardiac care and transplant care There was lively discussion even before the event officially kicked off Our learners were visibly engaged and enthusiastic and feedback indicated the experience was very valua-ble We are always grateful to our visiting professionals for their time expertise and most importantly for sharing their individual career stories which inspire and motivate young women and men CollegeandCareerReady Community College Vocational Programs Showcase On Wednesday December 13 at Londonderry High School the Futures Lab is hosting a Vocational Careers Showcase Nine different community colleges and trade schools will be coming with representatives from various vocational programs to show our learners some great career options that require a certificate or an Associatersquos degree These particular programs allow successful participants in a short period of time to jump right into the workforce where most positions pay well and offer benefits This event will open many eyes to a job market that is in great need of large numbers of employees espe-cially here in New Hampshire It is open to all LHS students Careers to be Exhibited at the December 13th Showcase Advanced Manufacturing Paralegal Culinary Careers Precision Manufacturing Dental AssistantHygienist Radiology Fine Arts Robotics Fire Science Sonography Gaming Web Design Graphic Design Welding Landscaping and many more Massage Motorcycle Repair Raffle for Freshmen and Sophomores Who Complete CCR Goals By Thanksgiving We are having another one of our raffles for $10 Amazon Gift Cards The Futures Lab will randomly select three freshmen and three sophomores who have completed all of their required College and Career Ready Goals by Thanksgiving Day and award each of them a gift card Prizes will be awarded when we return to school the week of November 27th
Email addresses Make sure the email address of your student is correct in Naviance This is the easiest way for us to com-municate with them about upcoming events scholarships and other great programs
JUNIOR YEAR IS IMPORTANT
Junior year is critical mdash here are 5 things to do to-day to get into college next year Jessica Yeager For all those parents of juniors in high school this will be one of the busiest and most important school years for your child This is the year of lots of standardized tests including the PSAT and a chance at a National Merit Scholarship Itrsquos also a year for college visits and the final full year of grades that will be included in your childrsquos college applica-tion Of course you want to help your student put their best foot forward and make this their best year ever Following these five tips will help you give your child a leg up this year and senior year It will also put them in the best possible position when they go to apply to colleges next year
Prepare for the PSAT While studying for those tests is incredibly important the number one test you should be focusing your student on this fall is the PSAT the National Merit Scholarship Quali-fying Test The primary test date is a little over a month away so your student doesnrsquot have a ton of time to study Make sure they go through practice exams If they need it look for a tutor or class for them to feel really prepared The absolute best thing you can do for them is to make sure they understand a good PSAT score could potentially mean a full ride to their dream college so they should take the test seriously
Create a preliminary college list Junior year is a great time to talk with your child about what colleges they might want to apply to next year Even though the list might change having options now can give your student some schools to visit to start making connec-tions
The most important thing to keep in mind when walking your student through creating a college list is to make sure itrsquos balanced It should have a good mix of safety match and reach schools for both acceptance and cost For exam-ple a good rule of thumb for a safety school is that your childrsquos SAT or ACT score is above the 75th percentile for the school and your family can easily afford it
Grades this year have a big impact Junior year is usually super busy with harder classes but itrsquos really important that your childrsquos grades donrsquot slip This will be the last full year of grades on their transcript They need to be good From all my years of tutoring I know this can be a challenge for parents but make sure if your child needs help to keep their grades up theyrsquore get-ting it That can be from you a teacher a tutor It doesnrsquot matter as long as theyre getting the help they need and keeping those grades up
Connect with teachers for recom-mendations Often teachers from junior year end up being the best teacher recommendations for your childrsquos college applica-tion Thatrsquos one of the other reasons doing well junior year is so important Talk with your student about which teach-ers and classes they like best Encourage them to ask ques-tions in class and go to office hours Then at the end of the year they will be in a great position to ask the teacher for a recommendation for their college applications
Look for outside the classroom expe-riences Junior year is a great time for your child to really explore their interests outside of the classroom Help them look into research and community service opportunities even jobs and internships A lot of parents and students worry that junior year is too late to start a club or extracurricular activity but I can tell you from experience that it isnrsquot I started my biggest resume differentiators my junior year
Heres how four current college students made their applica-tions and personalities stand out By Caroline Duda The college application process can be daunting for even the most prepared of students and it has only grown more compet-itive For instance in 2016 Harvard University received more than 39000 applications but accepted just a little more than 2000 Students with moderate engagement in extracurricular activi-ties and an average GPA might worry that their application will get lost in the shuffle ndash and might also wonder how they can stand out To help answer this question consider how these four current college students handled their college appli-cations to stand out as individuals bull Determine your approach Most students hope that their applications will stand out so that they can secure an ac-ceptance letter to college However it is important to deter-mine how you will approach your applications based on your underlying motivations and goals For example Ginger Stanciel a sophomore at Kent State Uni-versity in Ohio was passionate about fashion but felt it was crucial ldquoto come across as a well-rounded art studentrdquo She hoped to highlight her interests and strengths both in art and fashion and outside of it Why ldquoThe schools I was applying to specifically wanted well-rounded students to encourage a di-verse art environmentrdquo she said via email Motivations for wanting to stand out in college applications can vary by student Katrina Wheelan a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts tried her best to avoid doing any-thing specifically for her applications ldquoI did what I wanted to do not what I thought I should do for getting into collegerdquo she said via email This mentality helped her focus on selecting experiences that were true to her inter-ests and her personal and career development As you begin to build your college application consider your goals and how they align with the selection criteria at your top schools Are you hoping to demonstrate your growth from a low-Cs student to a member of the honor roll or are you hop-ing to cast light on your passions Once you outline goals and motivations review your high school highs and decide which you will highlight bull Highlight your activities No one activity is guaranteed to secure you a college acceptance letter Instead the key lies in linking your activities to your goals For example Bryce Dellamano a sophomore at Southern Illi-nois Universitymdash Edwardsville let his passions speak loud and clear ldquoI volunteered after school on Tuesdays and Thurs-days at a place called Homework Help and Hoops Tutoring Basically I helped tutor kids after classes on various subjects and then played games with them to reward their hard work
he said via email Dellamano thought this helped make his ap-plication stand out because it combined his enjoyment of sports with community service Sophomore at Indiana UniversitymdashBloomington Alexis Miller believes that simple participation in extracurriculars is not enough though ldquoThe more I poured over the many (essay) prompts the more I realized that although the people who would be reading my essays had surely seen thousands of ap-plications with similar activities like National Honors Society or club volleyball it was the unique experiences and lessons I learned that would distinguish my applicationrdquo she said via email Miller grounded her application with ldquoa foundation in the con-nections I made with the people I was aidingrdquo She believes these relationships that she built during high school ndash both with organizations and people ndash made her application more personal and memorable Stanciel likewise devoted time and energy to extracurriculars which included two internships and starting a ski club at her high school and believes it is critical to learn how to properly discuss your activities on your application She realized this while reading the first prompts and writing her initial essays which required a certain degree of storytell-ing One of my applications had a prompt asking about a strong childhood memory I chose to include a memory that would touch on my strong sense of family my love for travel and my appreciation for hard work Within that response she called attention to travel experiences with her family Stanciel advises students to be creative and eloquent and try to ldquointerpret these experiences and use them to show growth and why you are a good candidaterdquo She encourages telling a story with your essays not just because it makes it more interesting and stands out for admissions officers to read but because your life is a story bull Avoid overcompensating All four of these college stu-dents agreed that it was possible for students to make their col-lege applications stand out too much Miller for instance cau-tioned against writing essays that arent genuine like an in-flated and overly decorated essayrdquo Stanciel added ldquoRemember that your application is supposed to be a reflection of who you are not just a puff piecerdquo While an unusual experience can certainly distinguish your applica-tion one with no connection to your academic or extracurricu-lar interests and goals may draw the wrong kind of attention And be careful not to overload your application or resume Dellamano cautioned ldquoIt might get cluttered andor bore the person reading it Keep it concise and to the pointrdquo Finally Wheelan offers a philosophy that she followed to build an authentic and engaging college application ldquoI feel like its clicheacute to say lsquobe yourselfrsquo but the key is to live your life as if college didnt existrdquo she said As you begin the process of applying to college prioritize your passions ndash your personality and applications will then stand out
How to stand out
How to stand out COLLEGE VISITS ARE IMPORTANT
New Study Highlights How College Visits Boost Admissions Chances At Selective Colleges
Troy Onink Contributor According to an article on InsideHigherEdcom a new study shows that high school students who show demonstrated interest in a college by making an official visit to campus have an advantage in the admis-sions process over students who dont make a campus visit However depending on how close to home a college is the expense of visiting can climb into the thousands of dollars when you start adding air fare car rentals hotel rooms and meals for parents the student and often siblings too 529 college savings plans are a tax-advantaged way to save for qualified college expenses like tuition and fees and room and board but not the expenses of a college visit This is why it is a good idea for parents to save some money for visits outside of 529 plans and coordinate with other families to lower travel costs by carpooling staying with relatives or even using one of the many organized chaperoned bus tours of multi-ple college campuses Some colleges will even offer rooms to students who plan a campus visit Saving air-line miles and hotel points are a great way to pay for expenses associated with college visits The Inside Higher Ed article states Demonstrated interest is one of the admissions criteria used by many competitive colleges -- even though it may not have anything to do with an applicants intelligence or character The term refers to ways that an applicant shows he or she is serious about enrolling at a given college An applicant who calls with questions about a particular program is more valued than one who doesnt communicate beyond applying An applicant who visits shows more demonstrated interest than one who doesnt and so forth Many colleges factor in demonstrated interest to admissions and aid deci-sions wanting to admit applicants who will enroll The idea is to have better planning and to improve the yield the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll The article quoting the study goes on to say The impact is greatest on those with high SAT scores -- sug-gesting that many colleges (below the HarvardStanford level of competitiveness) are wary of admitting some applicants with high SAT scores and little demonstrated interest for fear of being used as a safety school Those with both high SAT scores (on average wealthier applicants than others) and a campus visit are up to 40 percentage points more likely to be admitted than comparable students without those two signals as the paper calls those qualities For those students who have money saved in UTMA accounts from gifts and working over the years lead-ing up to college spending that money on college visits may be particularly wise because assets in a stu-dents name get assessed at 20-25 of the account value in the need-based college aid formulas Parents assets get assessed at 5-564 so its often better to spend UTMA money before completing aid forms in the childs senior year of high school If you are looking to gain an admissions advantage over other highly qualified applicants a college visit to show demonstrated interest is a wise use of your money regardless of whose account it comes out of
NAME AMOUNT DEADLINE CONTACT 2017 Future of Assisted Living Scholarship $2000 December 31 2017 SeniorAdvisorcom Access to Education Scholarship $3000 March 30 2018 wwwaccesssportsmedcom AXA Achievement Scholarships $25000 December 15 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Boston University Trustee Scholarship December 1 2017 wwwbuedu EastonNFAA Scholarship Program $5000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Francis Wayland Parker Scholar $2000 April 15 2018 wwwnhasporg Harris Poll Scholarship $1000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg HSC Home Warranty Scholarship $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Light the Way Scholarship $25 000 December 15 2017 wwwassumptionedu Mensa Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Essay Contest January 15 2018 wwwmensafoundationorg Merrimack Valley Credit Union College Scholarship $1500 February 28 2018 wwwmvcucomscholarship National Space Club Scholarships $10000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg NH Red Sox Service Scholarship $1000 January 12 2018 nescholarshipredsoxcom NH Soccer Coaches Assoc - Amy Dutton Scholarship May 1 2018 scottdunlop28yahoocom NH Water Pollution Control Assoc Student Scholarship $1000 March 30 2018 wwwNHWPCAorg Ron Brown Scholar Program $10000 January 9 2018 wwwronbrownorg Stephen J Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship $5000 December 5 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg The ACE Award - Accepting the Challenge of Excellence $1000 March 15 2018 eleuteritzpentucketbankcom The American Legion HS Oratorical Scholarship $100-18000 wwwlegionorgoratoricaltopics The Cameron Impact Scholarship wwwbryancameroneducationfoundationorg The Wesleyan Univ Hamilton Prize for Creativity $200000 January 1 2018 wwwwesleyanedu Thiel Fellowship active $100000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Union Plus Scholarship $4000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg VIP Scholarships active $5000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg WACE National Co-Op Scholarship $6-30000 February 15 2018 wwwwaceincorg
NEED FOR COLLEGE
College is expensive and these scholarships can help These are the scholarships outside of the school that are available Main Guidance has all of the information needed for each of these scholarships Have your student visit Main Guidance to get more information You can also view these from the studentrsquos Navi-
ance account Be sure to check back frequently as these are updated weekly
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
JUNIOR YEAR IS IMPORTANT
Junior year is critical mdash here are 5 things to do to-day to get into college next year Jessica Yeager For all those parents of juniors in high school this will be one of the busiest and most important school years for your child This is the year of lots of standardized tests including the PSAT and a chance at a National Merit Scholarship Itrsquos also a year for college visits and the final full year of grades that will be included in your childrsquos college applica-tion Of course you want to help your student put their best foot forward and make this their best year ever Following these five tips will help you give your child a leg up this year and senior year It will also put them in the best possible position when they go to apply to colleges next year
Prepare for the PSAT While studying for those tests is incredibly important the number one test you should be focusing your student on this fall is the PSAT the National Merit Scholarship Quali-fying Test The primary test date is a little over a month away so your student doesnrsquot have a ton of time to study Make sure they go through practice exams If they need it look for a tutor or class for them to feel really prepared The absolute best thing you can do for them is to make sure they understand a good PSAT score could potentially mean a full ride to their dream college so they should take the test seriously
Create a preliminary college list Junior year is a great time to talk with your child about what colleges they might want to apply to next year Even though the list might change having options now can give your student some schools to visit to start making connec-tions
The most important thing to keep in mind when walking your student through creating a college list is to make sure itrsquos balanced It should have a good mix of safety match and reach schools for both acceptance and cost For exam-ple a good rule of thumb for a safety school is that your childrsquos SAT or ACT score is above the 75th percentile for the school and your family can easily afford it
Grades this year have a big impact Junior year is usually super busy with harder classes but itrsquos really important that your childrsquos grades donrsquot slip This will be the last full year of grades on their transcript They need to be good From all my years of tutoring I know this can be a challenge for parents but make sure if your child needs help to keep their grades up theyrsquore get-ting it That can be from you a teacher a tutor It doesnrsquot matter as long as theyre getting the help they need and keeping those grades up
Connect with teachers for recom-mendations Often teachers from junior year end up being the best teacher recommendations for your childrsquos college applica-tion Thatrsquos one of the other reasons doing well junior year is so important Talk with your student about which teach-ers and classes they like best Encourage them to ask ques-tions in class and go to office hours Then at the end of the year they will be in a great position to ask the teacher for a recommendation for their college applications
Look for outside the classroom expe-riences Junior year is a great time for your child to really explore their interests outside of the classroom Help them look into research and community service opportunities even jobs and internships A lot of parents and students worry that junior year is too late to start a club or extracurricular activity but I can tell you from experience that it isnrsquot I started my biggest resume differentiators my junior year
Heres how four current college students made their applica-tions and personalities stand out By Caroline Duda The college application process can be daunting for even the most prepared of students and it has only grown more compet-itive For instance in 2016 Harvard University received more than 39000 applications but accepted just a little more than 2000 Students with moderate engagement in extracurricular activi-ties and an average GPA might worry that their application will get lost in the shuffle ndash and might also wonder how they can stand out To help answer this question consider how these four current college students handled their college appli-cations to stand out as individuals bull Determine your approach Most students hope that their applications will stand out so that they can secure an ac-ceptance letter to college However it is important to deter-mine how you will approach your applications based on your underlying motivations and goals For example Ginger Stanciel a sophomore at Kent State Uni-versity in Ohio was passionate about fashion but felt it was crucial ldquoto come across as a well-rounded art studentrdquo She hoped to highlight her interests and strengths both in art and fashion and outside of it Why ldquoThe schools I was applying to specifically wanted well-rounded students to encourage a di-verse art environmentrdquo she said via email Motivations for wanting to stand out in college applications can vary by student Katrina Wheelan a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts tried her best to avoid doing any-thing specifically for her applications ldquoI did what I wanted to do not what I thought I should do for getting into collegerdquo she said via email This mentality helped her focus on selecting experiences that were true to her inter-ests and her personal and career development As you begin to build your college application consider your goals and how they align with the selection criteria at your top schools Are you hoping to demonstrate your growth from a low-Cs student to a member of the honor roll or are you hop-ing to cast light on your passions Once you outline goals and motivations review your high school highs and decide which you will highlight bull Highlight your activities No one activity is guaranteed to secure you a college acceptance letter Instead the key lies in linking your activities to your goals For example Bryce Dellamano a sophomore at Southern Illi-nois Universitymdash Edwardsville let his passions speak loud and clear ldquoI volunteered after school on Tuesdays and Thurs-days at a place called Homework Help and Hoops Tutoring Basically I helped tutor kids after classes on various subjects and then played games with them to reward their hard work
he said via email Dellamano thought this helped make his ap-plication stand out because it combined his enjoyment of sports with community service Sophomore at Indiana UniversitymdashBloomington Alexis Miller believes that simple participation in extracurriculars is not enough though ldquoThe more I poured over the many (essay) prompts the more I realized that although the people who would be reading my essays had surely seen thousands of ap-plications with similar activities like National Honors Society or club volleyball it was the unique experiences and lessons I learned that would distinguish my applicationrdquo she said via email Miller grounded her application with ldquoa foundation in the con-nections I made with the people I was aidingrdquo She believes these relationships that she built during high school ndash both with organizations and people ndash made her application more personal and memorable Stanciel likewise devoted time and energy to extracurriculars which included two internships and starting a ski club at her high school and believes it is critical to learn how to properly discuss your activities on your application She realized this while reading the first prompts and writing her initial essays which required a certain degree of storytell-ing One of my applications had a prompt asking about a strong childhood memory I chose to include a memory that would touch on my strong sense of family my love for travel and my appreciation for hard work Within that response she called attention to travel experiences with her family Stanciel advises students to be creative and eloquent and try to ldquointerpret these experiences and use them to show growth and why you are a good candidaterdquo She encourages telling a story with your essays not just because it makes it more interesting and stands out for admissions officers to read but because your life is a story bull Avoid overcompensating All four of these college stu-dents agreed that it was possible for students to make their col-lege applications stand out too much Miller for instance cau-tioned against writing essays that arent genuine like an in-flated and overly decorated essayrdquo Stanciel added ldquoRemember that your application is supposed to be a reflection of who you are not just a puff piecerdquo While an unusual experience can certainly distinguish your applica-tion one with no connection to your academic or extracurricu-lar interests and goals may draw the wrong kind of attention And be careful not to overload your application or resume Dellamano cautioned ldquoIt might get cluttered andor bore the person reading it Keep it concise and to the pointrdquo Finally Wheelan offers a philosophy that she followed to build an authentic and engaging college application ldquoI feel like its clicheacute to say lsquobe yourselfrsquo but the key is to live your life as if college didnt existrdquo she said As you begin the process of applying to college prioritize your passions ndash your personality and applications will then stand out
How to stand out
How to stand out COLLEGE VISITS ARE IMPORTANT
New Study Highlights How College Visits Boost Admissions Chances At Selective Colleges
Troy Onink Contributor According to an article on InsideHigherEdcom a new study shows that high school students who show demonstrated interest in a college by making an official visit to campus have an advantage in the admis-sions process over students who dont make a campus visit However depending on how close to home a college is the expense of visiting can climb into the thousands of dollars when you start adding air fare car rentals hotel rooms and meals for parents the student and often siblings too 529 college savings plans are a tax-advantaged way to save for qualified college expenses like tuition and fees and room and board but not the expenses of a college visit This is why it is a good idea for parents to save some money for visits outside of 529 plans and coordinate with other families to lower travel costs by carpooling staying with relatives or even using one of the many organized chaperoned bus tours of multi-ple college campuses Some colleges will even offer rooms to students who plan a campus visit Saving air-line miles and hotel points are a great way to pay for expenses associated with college visits The Inside Higher Ed article states Demonstrated interest is one of the admissions criteria used by many competitive colleges -- even though it may not have anything to do with an applicants intelligence or character The term refers to ways that an applicant shows he or she is serious about enrolling at a given college An applicant who calls with questions about a particular program is more valued than one who doesnt communicate beyond applying An applicant who visits shows more demonstrated interest than one who doesnt and so forth Many colleges factor in demonstrated interest to admissions and aid deci-sions wanting to admit applicants who will enroll The idea is to have better planning and to improve the yield the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll The article quoting the study goes on to say The impact is greatest on those with high SAT scores -- sug-gesting that many colleges (below the HarvardStanford level of competitiveness) are wary of admitting some applicants with high SAT scores and little demonstrated interest for fear of being used as a safety school Those with both high SAT scores (on average wealthier applicants than others) and a campus visit are up to 40 percentage points more likely to be admitted than comparable students without those two signals as the paper calls those qualities For those students who have money saved in UTMA accounts from gifts and working over the years lead-ing up to college spending that money on college visits may be particularly wise because assets in a stu-dents name get assessed at 20-25 of the account value in the need-based college aid formulas Parents assets get assessed at 5-564 so its often better to spend UTMA money before completing aid forms in the childs senior year of high school If you are looking to gain an admissions advantage over other highly qualified applicants a college visit to show demonstrated interest is a wise use of your money regardless of whose account it comes out of
NAME AMOUNT DEADLINE CONTACT 2017 Future of Assisted Living Scholarship $2000 December 31 2017 SeniorAdvisorcom Access to Education Scholarship $3000 March 30 2018 wwwaccesssportsmedcom AXA Achievement Scholarships $25000 December 15 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Boston University Trustee Scholarship December 1 2017 wwwbuedu EastonNFAA Scholarship Program $5000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Francis Wayland Parker Scholar $2000 April 15 2018 wwwnhasporg Harris Poll Scholarship $1000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg HSC Home Warranty Scholarship $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Light the Way Scholarship $25 000 December 15 2017 wwwassumptionedu Mensa Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Essay Contest January 15 2018 wwwmensafoundationorg Merrimack Valley Credit Union College Scholarship $1500 February 28 2018 wwwmvcucomscholarship National Space Club Scholarships $10000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg NH Red Sox Service Scholarship $1000 January 12 2018 nescholarshipredsoxcom NH Soccer Coaches Assoc - Amy Dutton Scholarship May 1 2018 scottdunlop28yahoocom NH Water Pollution Control Assoc Student Scholarship $1000 March 30 2018 wwwNHWPCAorg Ron Brown Scholar Program $10000 January 9 2018 wwwronbrownorg Stephen J Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship $5000 December 5 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg The ACE Award - Accepting the Challenge of Excellence $1000 March 15 2018 eleuteritzpentucketbankcom The American Legion HS Oratorical Scholarship $100-18000 wwwlegionorgoratoricaltopics The Cameron Impact Scholarship wwwbryancameroneducationfoundationorg The Wesleyan Univ Hamilton Prize for Creativity $200000 January 1 2018 wwwwesleyanedu Thiel Fellowship active $100000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Union Plus Scholarship $4000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg VIP Scholarships active $5000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg WACE National Co-Op Scholarship $6-30000 February 15 2018 wwwwaceincorg
NEED FOR COLLEGE
College is expensive and these scholarships can help These are the scholarships outside of the school that are available Main Guidance has all of the information needed for each of these scholarships Have your student visit Main Guidance to get more information You can also view these from the studentrsquos Navi-
ance account Be sure to check back frequently as these are updated weekly
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
Heres how four current college students made their applica-tions and personalities stand out By Caroline Duda The college application process can be daunting for even the most prepared of students and it has only grown more compet-itive For instance in 2016 Harvard University received more than 39000 applications but accepted just a little more than 2000 Students with moderate engagement in extracurricular activi-ties and an average GPA might worry that their application will get lost in the shuffle ndash and might also wonder how they can stand out To help answer this question consider how these four current college students handled their college appli-cations to stand out as individuals bull Determine your approach Most students hope that their applications will stand out so that they can secure an ac-ceptance letter to college However it is important to deter-mine how you will approach your applications based on your underlying motivations and goals For example Ginger Stanciel a sophomore at Kent State Uni-versity in Ohio was passionate about fashion but felt it was crucial ldquoto come across as a well-rounded art studentrdquo She hoped to highlight her interests and strengths both in art and fashion and outside of it Why ldquoThe schools I was applying to specifically wanted well-rounded students to encourage a di-verse art environmentrdquo she said via email Motivations for wanting to stand out in college applications can vary by student Katrina Wheelan a freshman at Williams College in Massachusetts tried her best to avoid doing any-thing specifically for her applications ldquoI did what I wanted to do not what I thought I should do for getting into collegerdquo she said via email This mentality helped her focus on selecting experiences that were true to her inter-ests and her personal and career development As you begin to build your college application consider your goals and how they align with the selection criteria at your top schools Are you hoping to demonstrate your growth from a low-Cs student to a member of the honor roll or are you hop-ing to cast light on your passions Once you outline goals and motivations review your high school highs and decide which you will highlight bull Highlight your activities No one activity is guaranteed to secure you a college acceptance letter Instead the key lies in linking your activities to your goals For example Bryce Dellamano a sophomore at Southern Illi-nois Universitymdash Edwardsville let his passions speak loud and clear ldquoI volunteered after school on Tuesdays and Thurs-days at a place called Homework Help and Hoops Tutoring Basically I helped tutor kids after classes on various subjects and then played games with them to reward their hard work
he said via email Dellamano thought this helped make his ap-plication stand out because it combined his enjoyment of sports with community service Sophomore at Indiana UniversitymdashBloomington Alexis Miller believes that simple participation in extracurriculars is not enough though ldquoThe more I poured over the many (essay) prompts the more I realized that although the people who would be reading my essays had surely seen thousands of ap-plications with similar activities like National Honors Society or club volleyball it was the unique experiences and lessons I learned that would distinguish my applicationrdquo she said via email Miller grounded her application with ldquoa foundation in the con-nections I made with the people I was aidingrdquo She believes these relationships that she built during high school ndash both with organizations and people ndash made her application more personal and memorable Stanciel likewise devoted time and energy to extracurriculars which included two internships and starting a ski club at her high school and believes it is critical to learn how to properly discuss your activities on your application She realized this while reading the first prompts and writing her initial essays which required a certain degree of storytell-ing One of my applications had a prompt asking about a strong childhood memory I chose to include a memory that would touch on my strong sense of family my love for travel and my appreciation for hard work Within that response she called attention to travel experiences with her family Stanciel advises students to be creative and eloquent and try to ldquointerpret these experiences and use them to show growth and why you are a good candidaterdquo She encourages telling a story with your essays not just because it makes it more interesting and stands out for admissions officers to read but because your life is a story bull Avoid overcompensating All four of these college stu-dents agreed that it was possible for students to make their col-lege applications stand out too much Miller for instance cau-tioned against writing essays that arent genuine like an in-flated and overly decorated essayrdquo Stanciel added ldquoRemember that your application is supposed to be a reflection of who you are not just a puff piecerdquo While an unusual experience can certainly distinguish your applica-tion one with no connection to your academic or extracurricu-lar interests and goals may draw the wrong kind of attention And be careful not to overload your application or resume Dellamano cautioned ldquoIt might get cluttered andor bore the person reading it Keep it concise and to the pointrdquo Finally Wheelan offers a philosophy that she followed to build an authentic and engaging college application ldquoI feel like its clicheacute to say lsquobe yourselfrsquo but the key is to live your life as if college didnt existrdquo she said As you begin the process of applying to college prioritize your passions ndash your personality and applications will then stand out
How to stand out
How to stand out COLLEGE VISITS ARE IMPORTANT
New Study Highlights How College Visits Boost Admissions Chances At Selective Colleges
Troy Onink Contributor According to an article on InsideHigherEdcom a new study shows that high school students who show demonstrated interest in a college by making an official visit to campus have an advantage in the admis-sions process over students who dont make a campus visit However depending on how close to home a college is the expense of visiting can climb into the thousands of dollars when you start adding air fare car rentals hotel rooms and meals for parents the student and often siblings too 529 college savings plans are a tax-advantaged way to save for qualified college expenses like tuition and fees and room and board but not the expenses of a college visit This is why it is a good idea for parents to save some money for visits outside of 529 plans and coordinate with other families to lower travel costs by carpooling staying with relatives or even using one of the many organized chaperoned bus tours of multi-ple college campuses Some colleges will even offer rooms to students who plan a campus visit Saving air-line miles and hotel points are a great way to pay for expenses associated with college visits The Inside Higher Ed article states Demonstrated interest is one of the admissions criteria used by many competitive colleges -- even though it may not have anything to do with an applicants intelligence or character The term refers to ways that an applicant shows he or she is serious about enrolling at a given college An applicant who calls with questions about a particular program is more valued than one who doesnt communicate beyond applying An applicant who visits shows more demonstrated interest than one who doesnt and so forth Many colleges factor in demonstrated interest to admissions and aid deci-sions wanting to admit applicants who will enroll The idea is to have better planning and to improve the yield the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll The article quoting the study goes on to say The impact is greatest on those with high SAT scores -- sug-gesting that many colleges (below the HarvardStanford level of competitiveness) are wary of admitting some applicants with high SAT scores and little demonstrated interest for fear of being used as a safety school Those with both high SAT scores (on average wealthier applicants than others) and a campus visit are up to 40 percentage points more likely to be admitted than comparable students without those two signals as the paper calls those qualities For those students who have money saved in UTMA accounts from gifts and working over the years lead-ing up to college spending that money on college visits may be particularly wise because assets in a stu-dents name get assessed at 20-25 of the account value in the need-based college aid formulas Parents assets get assessed at 5-564 so its often better to spend UTMA money before completing aid forms in the childs senior year of high school If you are looking to gain an admissions advantage over other highly qualified applicants a college visit to show demonstrated interest is a wise use of your money regardless of whose account it comes out of
NAME AMOUNT DEADLINE CONTACT 2017 Future of Assisted Living Scholarship $2000 December 31 2017 SeniorAdvisorcom Access to Education Scholarship $3000 March 30 2018 wwwaccesssportsmedcom AXA Achievement Scholarships $25000 December 15 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Boston University Trustee Scholarship December 1 2017 wwwbuedu EastonNFAA Scholarship Program $5000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Francis Wayland Parker Scholar $2000 April 15 2018 wwwnhasporg Harris Poll Scholarship $1000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg HSC Home Warranty Scholarship $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Light the Way Scholarship $25 000 December 15 2017 wwwassumptionedu Mensa Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Essay Contest January 15 2018 wwwmensafoundationorg Merrimack Valley Credit Union College Scholarship $1500 February 28 2018 wwwmvcucomscholarship National Space Club Scholarships $10000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg NH Red Sox Service Scholarship $1000 January 12 2018 nescholarshipredsoxcom NH Soccer Coaches Assoc - Amy Dutton Scholarship May 1 2018 scottdunlop28yahoocom NH Water Pollution Control Assoc Student Scholarship $1000 March 30 2018 wwwNHWPCAorg Ron Brown Scholar Program $10000 January 9 2018 wwwronbrownorg Stephen J Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship $5000 December 5 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg The ACE Award - Accepting the Challenge of Excellence $1000 March 15 2018 eleuteritzpentucketbankcom The American Legion HS Oratorical Scholarship $100-18000 wwwlegionorgoratoricaltopics The Cameron Impact Scholarship wwwbryancameroneducationfoundationorg The Wesleyan Univ Hamilton Prize for Creativity $200000 January 1 2018 wwwwesleyanedu Thiel Fellowship active $100000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Union Plus Scholarship $4000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg VIP Scholarships active $5000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg WACE National Co-Op Scholarship $6-30000 February 15 2018 wwwwaceincorg
NEED FOR COLLEGE
College is expensive and these scholarships can help These are the scholarships outside of the school that are available Main Guidance has all of the information needed for each of these scholarships Have your student visit Main Guidance to get more information You can also view these from the studentrsquos Navi-
ance account Be sure to check back frequently as these are updated weekly
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
How to stand out COLLEGE VISITS ARE IMPORTANT
New Study Highlights How College Visits Boost Admissions Chances At Selective Colleges
Troy Onink Contributor According to an article on InsideHigherEdcom a new study shows that high school students who show demonstrated interest in a college by making an official visit to campus have an advantage in the admis-sions process over students who dont make a campus visit However depending on how close to home a college is the expense of visiting can climb into the thousands of dollars when you start adding air fare car rentals hotel rooms and meals for parents the student and often siblings too 529 college savings plans are a tax-advantaged way to save for qualified college expenses like tuition and fees and room and board but not the expenses of a college visit This is why it is a good idea for parents to save some money for visits outside of 529 plans and coordinate with other families to lower travel costs by carpooling staying with relatives or even using one of the many organized chaperoned bus tours of multi-ple college campuses Some colleges will even offer rooms to students who plan a campus visit Saving air-line miles and hotel points are a great way to pay for expenses associated with college visits The Inside Higher Ed article states Demonstrated interest is one of the admissions criteria used by many competitive colleges -- even though it may not have anything to do with an applicants intelligence or character The term refers to ways that an applicant shows he or she is serious about enrolling at a given college An applicant who calls with questions about a particular program is more valued than one who doesnt communicate beyond applying An applicant who visits shows more demonstrated interest than one who doesnt and so forth Many colleges factor in demonstrated interest to admissions and aid deci-sions wanting to admit applicants who will enroll The idea is to have better planning and to improve the yield the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll The article quoting the study goes on to say The impact is greatest on those with high SAT scores -- sug-gesting that many colleges (below the HarvardStanford level of competitiveness) are wary of admitting some applicants with high SAT scores and little demonstrated interest for fear of being used as a safety school Those with both high SAT scores (on average wealthier applicants than others) and a campus visit are up to 40 percentage points more likely to be admitted than comparable students without those two signals as the paper calls those qualities For those students who have money saved in UTMA accounts from gifts and working over the years lead-ing up to college spending that money on college visits may be particularly wise because assets in a stu-dents name get assessed at 20-25 of the account value in the need-based college aid formulas Parents assets get assessed at 5-564 so its often better to spend UTMA money before completing aid forms in the childs senior year of high school If you are looking to gain an admissions advantage over other highly qualified applicants a college visit to show demonstrated interest is a wise use of your money regardless of whose account it comes out of
NAME AMOUNT DEADLINE CONTACT 2017 Future of Assisted Living Scholarship $2000 December 31 2017 SeniorAdvisorcom Access to Education Scholarship $3000 March 30 2018 wwwaccesssportsmedcom AXA Achievement Scholarships $25000 December 15 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Boston University Trustee Scholarship December 1 2017 wwwbuedu EastonNFAA Scholarship Program $5000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Francis Wayland Parker Scholar $2000 April 15 2018 wwwnhasporg Harris Poll Scholarship $1000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg HSC Home Warranty Scholarship $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Light the Way Scholarship $25 000 December 15 2017 wwwassumptionedu Mensa Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Essay Contest January 15 2018 wwwmensafoundationorg Merrimack Valley Credit Union College Scholarship $1500 February 28 2018 wwwmvcucomscholarship National Space Club Scholarships $10000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg NH Red Sox Service Scholarship $1000 January 12 2018 nescholarshipredsoxcom NH Soccer Coaches Assoc - Amy Dutton Scholarship May 1 2018 scottdunlop28yahoocom NH Water Pollution Control Assoc Student Scholarship $1000 March 30 2018 wwwNHWPCAorg Ron Brown Scholar Program $10000 January 9 2018 wwwronbrownorg Stephen J Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship $5000 December 5 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg The ACE Award - Accepting the Challenge of Excellence $1000 March 15 2018 eleuteritzpentucketbankcom The American Legion HS Oratorical Scholarship $100-18000 wwwlegionorgoratoricaltopics The Cameron Impact Scholarship wwwbryancameroneducationfoundationorg The Wesleyan Univ Hamilton Prize for Creativity $200000 January 1 2018 wwwwesleyanedu Thiel Fellowship active $100000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Union Plus Scholarship $4000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg VIP Scholarships active $5000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg WACE National Co-Op Scholarship $6-30000 February 15 2018 wwwwaceincorg
NEED FOR COLLEGE
College is expensive and these scholarships can help These are the scholarships outside of the school that are available Main Guidance has all of the information needed for each of these scholarships Have your student visit Main Guidance to get more information You can also view these from the studentrsquos Navi-
ance account Be sure to check back frequently as these are updated weekly
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
NAME AMOUNT DEADLINE CONTACT 2017 Future of Assisted Living Scholarship $2000 December 31 2017 SeniorAdvisorcom Access to Education Scholarship $3000 March 30 2018 wwwaccesssportsmedcom AXA Achievement Scholarships $25000 December 15 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Boston University Trustee Scholarship December 1 2017 wwwbuedu EastonNFAA Scholarship Program $5000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Francis Wayland Parker Scholar $2000 April 15 2018 wwwnhasporg Harris Poll Scholarship $1000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg HSC Home Warranty Scholarship $2000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Light the Way Scholarship $25 000 December 15 2017 wwwassumptionedu Mensa Education and Research Foundation Scholarship Essay Contest January 15 2018 wwwmensafoundationorg Merrimack Valley Credit Union College Scholarship $1500 February 28 2018 wwwmvcucomscholarship National Space Club Scholarships $10000 December 1 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg NH Red Sox Service Scholarship $1000 January 12 2018 nescholarshipredsoxcom NH Soccer Coaches Assoc - Amy Dutton Scholarship May 1 2018 scottdunlop28yahoocom NH Water Pollution Control Assoc Student Scholarship $1000 March 30 2018 wwwNHWPCAorg Ron Brown Scholar Program $10000 January 9 2018 wwwronbrownorg Stephen J Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship $5000 December 5 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg The ACE Award - Accepting the Challenge of Excellence $1000 March 15 2018 eleuteritzpentucketbankcom The American Legion HS Oratorical Scholarship $100-18000 wwwlegionorgoratoricaltopics The Cameron Impact Scholarship wwwbryancameroneducationfoundationorg The Wesleyan Univ Hamilton Prize for Creativity $200000 January 1 2018 wwwwesleyanedu Thiel Fellowship active $100000 December 31 2017 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg Union Plus Scholarship $4000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg VIP Scholarships active $5000 January 31 2018 wwwstudentscholarshipsorg WACE National Co-Op Scholarship $6-30000 February 15 2018 wwwwaceincorg
NEED FOR COLLEGE
College is expensive and these scholarships can help These are the scholarships outside of the school that are available Main Guidance has all of the information needed for each of these scholarships Have your student visit Main Guidance to get more information You can also view these from the studentrsquos Navi-
ance account Be sure to check back frequently as these are updated weekly
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
How to stand out School Counselors are AMAZING
Take advantage of school counselors a valuable resource
School counselors are certainly incredibly busy people But our advice is that itrsquos your job this school year to make sure they are even busier We donrsquot mean creating busywork but rather taking advantage of all your school counselors have to offer School counselors can offer a wide range of assistance to both students and parents yet unfortunately most parents know little about just how much their childrsquos school counselor can offer So this year early in your childrsquos school year make an effort to get to know his or her counselor and make the most of this very valuable educational resource All school counselors have a great deal of training and are certified or licensed by the state In most states school counselors are required to hold at least a masterrsquos degree These are professionals who are trained to understand young people and help them reach their educational goals Through standardized testing and monitoring of classroom performance counselors can advise teachers students and parents about classes offering the appropriate challenges and the best educational outcomes That guidance portion of a school counselorrsquos work progresses with older students to advising them on which classes can best fulfill their educational and career goals as well as explaining options for colleges technical training or other directions after high school And as trained professional counselors school counselors can also assist students facing potential problem areas From drug issues to bullying situations to improving study skills school counselors are there to help students and families better handle the challenges that students today face They donrsquot have magic wands but can offer proven techniques and approaches that can assist in coping with problem areas Donrsquot wait for a crisis to talk with your childrsquos school counselor An introductory meeting early in the year provides a chance to meet the counselor to discuss your child and to learn what assistance might be available Even more important is to contact that counselor quickly when problems first appear Slipping grades or abrupt chang-es in a childrsquos attitude behavior or friends can all be signs that help is needed Thatrsquos when a professional counselor can make a real difference School counselors are professionals who have a great deal to offer our children When we donrsquot take advantage of their training skills and experience wersquore only shortchanging ourselves our children and our childrenrsquos educational experience
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
How to stand out Social Media
By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall
Its only the first week of school but already two Wake County high schools have experienced separate social media threats
On Wednesday a 17-year-old Garner Magnet High School student was arrested and charged with making an online threat that prompted elevated security at the school He made posts to Snap-chat that showed a gun used threatening language and made ref-erence to the high school and students there He now faces as much as 39 months in prison
And on Thursday officials heightened security at Apex Friendship High School after a hoax threat circulated on social media
By Thursday afternoon Wake Superintendent Jim Merrill in a statement urged parents to talk to their kids about social media and follow their accounts Parents and guardians please know and share with your students that we take all these threats seri-ously and investigate fully he wrote Not only are consequences delivered by the schools but where feasible law enforcement at our urging will seek to prosecute
Indeed this weeks events provide plenty of teachable moments for parents who are looking for ways to broach the topics of social media and cyberbullying But whats the best way to talk about these subjects beyond just telling kids not to get caught up in them
Laura Tierney founder of the Triangle-based The Social Institute has some answers Tierney who has led social media strategy for national and international brands now works with schools par-ents and leaders teaching students positive ways to handle whats become one of the biggest drivers of their social development social media In an interview Tierney said its critical for tweens and teens to have a specific game plan when they come across threatening or bullying behavior on social media Parents cant assume that kids will know exactly what to do These kids are on the front lines of whats going on on social media she said The school administrators are not on the front lines Our teachers are not on the front lines These kids are
Tierney said there are three steps kids should take when they are online
1 Be on the look out for anything that makes them feel unsafe Tell kids to trust their gut They should note anything unusual or con-
cerning - even something that might seem like a joke Take ad-vantage of teachable moments such as this weeks threats at Wake County schools Have discussions about them with your kids Its those trust building moments of you sitting down with her and just letting her know Heres a story of something that hap-pened at a school If you were ever to see that heres what to do Here are the steps Tierney said
2 Take a screenshot Posts and pictures can stay online forever but with apps such as Snapchat or Instagram they can become pretty hard to find With disappearing Snaps and with disappearing In-stagram stories its easy to say Well I might have seen this but its disappeared Tierney said If you were to ever see some-thing consider screenshotting it With the screenshot kids will have a record of what theyve seen online
3 Tell the right people what theyve seen Tierney said we cant just tell our kids to tell somebody Parents need to educate their child on who that person should be If they dont know who exact-ly to turn to they may end up just telling a friend You never know that friend might talk them out of speaking up because of peer pressure or concerns theyll get somebody in trouble she said You never know what feedback theyre going to get from friends with peer pressure going on
Instead coach your kids to tell an adult that they trust - you an-other family member a favorite teacher a school administrator a coach an advisor or a pastor for instance Coach them to say something to someone who can step in and take the next step she said The child should know that its not on their shoulders to address the situation Thats the job of the adult that they confide in But Tierney said it is on [a childs] shoulders as that foot sol-dier to say something to somebody you trust
While this weeks threats targeted entire schools Tierney said this sort of behavior happens all of the time through cyberbullying that impacts individual students or smaller groups The same strategies can help combat this even more prevalent activity Tierney said Tierney did praise Wake schools officials for their response saying it helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year
I respect how the school immediately notified all parents in a public way and reinforced that this is not the culture of our school she said This is an extreme situation but cyberbullying happens so much today that itrsquos more important than ever that the school stand up and define the culture whether itrsquos online or offline Now its up to all of us - kids and adults - to cut it back
3 things tweens teens should do when they see bullying threats on social media
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
Name ____________________________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________
School ___________________________________________________________________
Running Start
Running Start
Contact the LHS Curriculum Dept for more infor-
mation
SAT Prep Course
JUNIORS Lancers Score SAT Prep
Verbal Writing amp Math at Londonderry High School
Winter Session Tuesday Nights Five Classes 500 ndash 800pm
This course would prepare juniors for the March 21st school-wide administration of the SAT as well
as other student selected SAT dates in May and June
We will meet February 6th
February 13th
February 20th
March 6th
and March 13th
make-up classes would be February 22nd and March 20th (if dates are cancelled due to inclement weather)
What is the cost 5 week course $300 per student price for text is not included in fee
What materials do students need
Students need to purchase the book The Official SAT Study Guide (2016 Edition) published by the College Board ISBN-
13 978-1457304309 or ISBN-10 1457304309 Students must bring the book and a calculator to class Do NOT get either
of the older versions of the book as the test and study guide have changed
Who is teaching the course Cathy DeArville is a certified Math teacher who has been teaching since 1992 and currently works at London-
derry High School She has taught and tutored all levels of math through AP Calculus
Amity Small is certified in English and currently works at Londonderry High School and she taught the college prep and honors junior curriculum for 14 years
How do students sign up
Fill in the registration form below All 5 classes will be held at Londonderry High School (room 111) If you have questions
please contact Cathy DeArville at cdearvillelondonderryorg
Completed forms with payment (checks payable to Cathy DeArville) must be returned to Cathy DeArville Londonderry High
School 295 Mammoth Road Londonderry NH 03053 or to room 111
Payment and registration must be received prior to the first nightrsquos class class will be limited to the first 30 students who regis-
ter Classes are in Room 111 All students are welcome you do NOT need to be a junior to attend
No refunds will be issued after student attends first class unless prior arrangements are made
